The Mexican Irish (Los San Patricios)

Dhr. Seven, Pfc. Sandoval (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly; Mark R. Day, The San Patricios: Mexico's Fighting Irish (flag.blackened.net); Ramiro Hernandez (DayProductions.com)

Go, Irish!

In 1846, thousands of immigrants, mostly Irish, joined the U.S. Army and were sent with General Zachary Taylor's army to invade Mexico in what some historians have called a war of manifest destiny.

Dubious about why they were fighting a Catholic country and fed up with mistreatment under their Anglo-Protestant officers, hundreds of Irish and other immigrants deserted Gen. Taylor's army and joined forces with Mexico.

Led by Irish Captain John Riley of County Galway, they called themselves the St. Patrick's Battalion -- in Spanish, Los San Patricios.

They fought bravely in most of the campaigns of the two-year conflict, but their efforts failed to stem the Yankee onslaught. Soon the U.S. Army occupied the halls of Montezuma, and Mexico eventually surrendered, giving up nearly half its territory to the new "United States" [a colony of England].

Toward the end of the conflict, at the Battle of Churubusco, 83 San Patricios were captured, and 72 were court-martialed. Of this number, 50 were sentenced to be hanged, and 16 were flogged and branded on their cheeks with the letter "D" for deserter.

To this day many pro-U.S. historians regard these men as traitors, whereas Mexicans see them as heroes, honoring them every September 12th with a special commemoration. In 1993, the Irish in Ireland began their own ceremony to honor them in Clifden, Galway, Captain Riley's hometown. More